Donald Margulies' play, Collected Stories, will return to the West Coast with a production in the Bay Area at Berkeley Repertory Theatre, opening Jan. 20, 1999. Previews began Jan. 15 with a run set through Mar. 5.

Collected Stories concerns Ruth Steiner, an aging writer who is befriended and betrayed by her young protege, Lisa Morrison; the drama delves into issues of mentoring and plagiarism. The play was a finalist for the 1997 Pulitzer Prize.

Stories, first commissioned by CA's South Coast Repertory, debuted there in 1996, directed by Lisa Peterson, who also helmed the 1997 Manhattan Theatre Club production. Under the direction of William Carden, Stories continues to run at Off-Broadway's Lucille Lortel Theatre with Uta Hagen and Lorca Simons.

Richard Seyd (Berkley Rep's A View From the Bridge) directs Cristine McMurdo-Wallis (Off-B'way's Salome with Al Pacino) as Ruth and Jennifer Tighe as Lisa.

The design team includes J. B. Wilson (sets), Lydia Tanji (costumes), Jack Carpenter (lighting) and Matthew Spiro (sound). Elisa Guthertz is the stage manager. Tickets for Collected Stories are $45-$34.50 and are available by calling the Berkley Repertory box office at (510) 845-4700. Berkley Rep is located at 2025 Addison Street.

-- By Christine Ehren and Robert Simonson